Tag Archives: instagram

Let’s Talk Happy

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Let’s Talk Happy

I tried something new in 2023 that had been highly recommended in a course I took last fall. And the result is exactly as the prof predicted it would be. My happiness level has increased.

Not that I wasn’t happy to begin with. It doesn’t matter how happy you are with your life, there is always room for improvement. So I tried this and I’m going to share it with you.

Our discussion in class centered around social media and how it takes away from our happiness. Students talked about how they took sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter off their phones. By constantly seeing others’ posts, the temptation to compare our lives to others is a strong one. But not readily having access alleviates this problem.

That makes sense. That can definitely present a problem if we are always envious of what we perceive others to have. And it may make us feel dissatisfied with what we have.

Twitter and Instagram are two sites I visit extremely rarely. But Facebook is still on my phone. And my tablet. And my computer. But I spend about a tenth of the time I used to on this site. I use it to mainly to share my blog posts twice a week. I enjoy looking at my memories. But only once in a blue moon will I post something.

I have all but given up scrolling. I have several hundred Facebook friends, many of whom have nothing better to do than to tell me what they ate for breakfast or what color t-shirt they’re wearing. And then there are those nasty posts about politics or religion. Or people who feel the need to post every photo in their gallery including ridiculous selfies. And don’t get me going on the ones who feel it’s necessary to share a dozen posts a day.

Sorry but I don’t have the patience for this anymore. I don’t miss the frustration of scrolling through twenty posts to get to one that actually may interest me. Instead, I search the people I want to keep in touch with and check out their posts regularly. I also rely heavily on Messenger and do respond to those messages.

I also prefer to read the news online rather than to rely on gossip and inaccurate speculations so prominent on Facebook. Although I must admit that even some of the events reported on national networks sometimes may fall into those categories.

By the way, if I’ve offended you by this post please feel free to unfriend me.

Happy Humpday!

So What?!

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Monday, Monday. Facebook down. What’s App not working. Didn’t bother checking Instagram.

It certainly made for a quieter day. No constant pings and dings of notifications on my phone. I actually spent very little time on my phone.

Here in Mexico What’s App is a lifeline to many. I’ve met a lot of people who just put 50 pesos at a time on their phone. They don’t have a phone plan like I do.

For 200 pesos a month, less than $10 US, I have unlimited talking and texting as well as long distance to the USA and Canada. Some data is included ans all social media is also free.

Without a phone plan, What’s App that runs off WiFi is free, so that is a very popular option for those who do not have a plan.

Therefore a lot of people were impacted when everything went down on Monday. Their pesos on their phones would not stretch quite as far.

I find it interesting that phone plans here are so reasonably priced. In the USA a similar plan with AT&T costs me $40. Canada was even more expensive the last time I was there.

While buying cell phones is far more expensive in Mexico, using them is definitely much more affordable here.